Browsing by Subject "health services accessibility"

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    Access barriers to medical facilities for people with physical disabilities: the case of Peru
    (Scielo, 2019) Moscoso-Porras, Miguel; Fuhs, Amy Katherine; Carbone, Angela; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine
    People with disabilities (PWD) face several challenges accessing medical services. However, the extent to which architectural and transportation barriers impede access to healthcare is unknown. In Peru, despite laws requiring that buildings be accessible for PWD, no report confirms that medical facilities comply with such regulations. Thus, we aim to provide an association between these barriers and access to medical facilities. Data from a Peruvian disability survey were analyzed. Participants were 18 years of age and older people who reported having a physical disability. Accessibility was defined by reported struggles accessing medical facilities (health or rehabilitation centers). Absence of ramps, handrails, elevators, adapted bathrooms, and information counters in medical facilities were reported as architectural barriers. The transportation barriers analyzed included struggles using buses or trains. Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and to control for confounding variables. 20,663 participants were included, their mean age was 66.5 years and 57.5% were females. Architectural and transportation barriers reported were 40% and 61%, respectively. All barriers reported were more prevalent in rural compared to urban areas (p <0.001). Inadequacy of ramps, handrails, and adapted elevators and bathrooms were associated with limited use of rehabilitation centers (p <0.001) but not of health centers (p> 0.05). Architectural and transportation barriers represent a hindrance to seeking treatment at rehabilitation centers. Actions to improve this situation are needed.
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    The Described Experience of Primary Caregivers of Children with Mental Health Needs
    (2012-10) Oruche, Ukamaka M.; Gerkensmeyer, Janis; Stephen, Linda; Wheeler, Corrine A; Hanna, Kathleen M.
    About 10% of our nation's children have serious mental health needs that result in significant functional impairments. Although research has found that primary caregivers of children with mental health needs have high levels of depressive symptoms and distress, little is known about the challenges these caregivers face. Focus groups with 20 caregivers of children with mental health needs between 2 and 17 years of age revealed these themes: struggling with care systems, living in fear, being burdened and exhausted, worrying about the rest of the family, and having good things happen. Caregivers described extreme challenges and many unmet needs that are important to consider in efforts to improve both children's and caregivers' well-being.